It started at 3 months at the vet a 9 month old boxer got loose from owner attacked my puppy, went to training that night told trainer she put her in pen with other puppies she cried the puppies came at her. Started to over come her fear, I have PTSD and we were accepted into a program for military and civilians with PTSD for service dog training. First evening a handler had her and a veteran did not have control of his aggressive shepherd and she attacked my puppy twice the screech and she peed on floor. Trainer new she had been attacked before did not want me to go to her she did not want me to be associated with dogs and attack. I stuck with both programs, making slow progress came into to training two weeks back my pup Bailey calm we did a great controlled entrance walked past a black GS who was laying down next to his owner. We walked past the black GS attacked but did not reach us but the bark and growl set my dog back. I reached out to a trainer who said she's damaged born that way dogs don't attack for no reason! Give her back to breeder or get rid of her! Called breeder he said she's emotionally traumatized and he would need to evaluate her then he could fix her but has no idea how or cost or length of time it would take. I also reached out to another trainer that we go to she did 2 puppy training classes beginner and advanced I then enrolled her in flex training there. One time last after her last attack she was in waiting room barking I was told she's upsetting the other dogs to wait outside. So we did and when we came in we ended up behind a dog who's owner said my dog is dog aggressive move back so we did she said further! The last time I came late so we did not have to wait once again behind a different dog who's owner said my dog is dog aggressive move back.
I take Bailey for walks, she gets upset just smelling another dog, I take her to park she's fine she will swim play ball inside closed tennis courts playing ball or frisbee. I have her work time when she has her vest on and her play time. I have a run in my back yard to play ball too.
The breeder has cancelled our scheduled visits 4 times! I use positive reinforcement, she knows the word gentle means just that and try to use it when she sees other dogs. When I first decided to get another GS I have had 4 over the years and where all American GS. This one was a German bred and I made 5 trips to breeders the one I knew from the beginning was not the one we took home. No doubt a switch and bait he was too anxious to have us leave he never let us hold her he put her straight down on floor. After reading the papers and her behavior was not calm and passive but hyper and seemed anxious. I questioned breeder because the bitch who he kept saying was her mother was not the one on the papers. We have come a long way but her fear of dogs only started after her first attack. I'm at a loss and need some guidance
Thank you for reading this
Allison

Some dogs can be targets. Being either fearful or fearful combined with really submissive can cause some dogs to react to her. If you plan on keeping her, I'd stay away from classes that crowd you in with other dogs and concentrate on the two of you working together at a distance from other dogs where she's just aware that other dogs are around, but she can be comfortable and pay attention to you. Over time, ideally the distance can be lessened and she can relax, but I'd always keep enough space to keep her from being targeted by some other dogs. As she relaxes you may find some other calm indifferent dogs that she'll be fine with, but I'd let that go for a while.

Steve thank you I have tried this to but maybe not enough
She's is so sweet and wonderful and smart! I also have systemic lupus and she's so in tune to me. I will do what you suggested we have made progress in past
Thank you

Distance and patience will help you Allison. Never mind all the stuff about "fixing" things in an hour. Make it easy for you and give it the time you both need. That way you can relax and enjoy her while you work with it.

Well first I want to say so sorry that a "Boxer" started this cycle, obviously that owner is not on "Boxerforum" or I'd have run across them and it would not have been "good!"

I'm not really understanding how this can be a "Breeder" problem myself?? Not say it's not just saying I don't see it. With my dogs my first puppy Stewie APBT/Boxer got "targeted" once. My American Band Dawg Gunther got targeted once, I was not on seen but no contact in both cases. And my Boxer Struddell never had a single "event."

So that brings me to my OS WL GSD ... yeah ...he seems to be a Stray Dog Magnet??? So far 7or is it 9 "attempts" on him thus far?? I lose count thus far all have persuaded to move on without any "actual contact." It's kinda odd but what are you gonna do??

It sounds like you kinda sorta did not know this could happen?? I don't put a lot of faith in other dog owners myself, that kinda helps.

Moving on ... the PO thing yeah that mostly would have worked out fine, still can ...but now your dog has "issues" and trainers with that particular bend ... are not going to be to much help to you?? Right now you need to restore your dogs faith in you and cookies and treats ...aren't going to get it.

Not in conflict with "Steve's" advice just gonna expand on it. And to be "clear" your dog does not have to associate with other dogs, he only has to learn to be "civil" around them. "Sit on the Dog" and "The Place Command" would be how you would get there, you do "Sit on the Dog" and "Train" the "Place Command." Eventually your dog will be able to do those things in the "Presence" of other dogs without "losing his cookies" as it were. At some point after lots of work on them ... out could start to do them "Outside" the confines of a Dog Park, if you want to "Proof" him. Or don't that's your call.

Thank you everyone
One trainer told me that there is something wrong with her to be constantly attacked.
She is a very smart puppy
She has good skills , she knows a control entrance, sit, down, heel, leave it, and when I say with me she is right there. Being her first spring lots of new sites and sounds and she has done very well.
Today I took her out with her service training gear, we went to stores, a walk, as soon as she saw a dog she would get upset, barking pulling. Instead of having her walk past these dogs who were pulling their owners I gave her correction had her sit, leave it and let them walk past. After about 5 dogs she started to just sit but being on guard but the barking, hair up stopped. Her reward was service dog training gear off and off to lake for a swim. I have a 20ft lead, when we first got there tons of ducks and geese but again command leave it, good watch. They all left she went swimming. Coming home a dog in car next to us she started barking growling - gave her correction and to leave it. We made strides before to point we could go to dog park, after 3rd attack we would pull in to a dog park and she was out of control. I would like her to play with other dogs never fear them. We have been to stores, malls and restaurants and she was fine. Even leavng the children who were in mall play area. Initially the mannequins were something she wanted to touch smell and realized not human left them.
I have workers at my house power washing doing outside repairs at first she started barking took her out she met workers smelled the machines etc and was fine. So why can't it be like that with dogs?
I have her playtime and service dog work time but to see her at the park playing with other dogs or not always in fear,
The breeder said she's emotionally traumatized and the one trainer said she was damaged at birth
Thank you again
Best

Your dog does not "need" to play with other dogs, she only needs "you." In anycase the same process would help her get over her issues but you can't control other dogs, if you put in her in a Dog Park surrounded by unknow dogs ...you have no control, crap happens.

Two articles here "Dog Park" warning and "Three Dogs Who Should Not Be At A Dog Park" why look for trouble??

I'm really sorry you and your dog have gone through all this. I hate to be a party pooper but you really should not be using this dog in a harness (working capacity as a SD) if she is not stable around other dogs.

If I were you I would not allow this dog to work if she loses her head when she sees a other dog. If you encountered another working team you could endanger that person if your dog acts out at the other dog. Service dogs have a much higher standard of behavior they have to adhere to, and if she acts like that in harness she is making service dogs look bad & potentially scaring people.

Pull her off duty and work on the problem with a competent trainer who has a neutral dog to work off of at a distance. If she recovers and overcomes this put her back to work.

Again very sorry this happened, I know what a blow it is not to be able to use your working partner, I am retiring mine

Register Now

In order to be able to post messages on the German Shepherd Dog Forums forums, you must first register.
Please enter your desired user name, your email address and other required details in the form below.

User Name:

Password

Please enter a password for your user account. Note that passwords are case-sensitive.